Well, with all my closets and accessories done, I can move on to bath & beauty products. Just kidding. I haven’t even started the closets. However, I do think I need to think about cosmetics and skincare products. I just tossed an old charcoal mask this morning. I threw it out, because I can’t remember when I bought it. I could have bought it last year, but I have a sinking feeling it was more like 2 or even 3 years ago.

My methodology for throwing out old beauty products is pretty haphazard, actually. I sort of randomly throw things out when I run across them if I can’t remember buying them, or they are visibly not good anymore, like a separated nail polish. I toss those all the time. I don’t even paint my nails very often, because I am not very good at it and I hate to sit still long enough to let it dry. I usually just go to the nail salon to get it done. Again, haphazardly. I don’t have a standing appointment or anything.

However, there are apparently rules for throwing away grooming products. I’m going to include the general consensus for your benefit and mine.

Mascara – Every 2 months

I know, it’s annoying to have to replace them so frequently, especially if you don’t use them every day. This is good reason, in my opinion, to find a great mascara at a good price. I’d be reluctant to toss out a $27 mascara after 2 months. Although, this time frame only pertains to mascara that has been opened. If you have a sealed backup, then the only thing you need to worry about is manufacturer’s expiration. Also, get rid of all eye makeup you’ve been using during an eye infection, or may have been used before you noticed it. Tools like brushes can be cleaned with alcohol. Some people suggest that pencils can be salvaged by simply shaving them down.

Gel Eyeliner – 3 months

Once again, a great argument for finding an affordable option. The reasons for this are the same as with mascara. There is an increased chance of bacteria and eye infection.

Cream Foundation and Concealers/Blushes/Bronzers – 12 to 18 months

It’s great that these last longer, as good shades are hard to give up.

Lipstick and Lip liners – One year

Of course these should be thrown out if you have cold sores or are ill. If you’re frequently ill, just be prepared to change these out often. Sharpening your lip liners can help.

Skincare – 6 to 12 months

Ideally you should be using most of this sort of thing daily, so you should actually run out before it expires. Unless, like me before AVON, you have a tendency to randomly buy it, try it out for a few days, then bury it in a cabinet. Then you should probably stay on top of the recommended time frames.

Liquid Foundation – 1 year

I’m glad you can keep these longer, as matching a shade is hard, but they aren’t meant to last forever, so a timeline is helpful.

Lip Gloss – 1 to 2 years

There is apparently some argument on this one. Some people suggest that the manner in which they are applied, via wand, or pot or even directly makes them more of a health risk so they should be tossed every 6 months.

Pencil Eyeliners or Brow Pencils – 1 to 2 years

I think we were all aware that these last a long time. Although some of us with brow pencils from the 90s should really get a new one. Not that I do.

Powders, like foundation,bronzers, blush or eye shadows – 2 years

Apparently, powders are remarkably stable. This is good to know. I may have to start putting the year on the bottom of these. That way I will know when I bought them and neither let them sit around forever, nor toss out a good powder before it’s time is up. And again, there is some concern over eye products and safety.

Perfumes – 6 to 18 months

Okay, I know a lot of people don’t want to hear that one. Especially not my mother, who buys expensive perfumes, saves them for special occasions, and keeps them for decades. However, fragrances are delicate and degrade with time and exposure to air. The key is, find something you love and use it! Don’t save it for once a year! Use it. Also, remember there are a lot of wonderful, beautiful perfumes at a lot of different price points. If you can’t afford that $400 perfume, then notice what you like about it, what type of scent it is, and find something with similar notes that you can afford! And use it. It even okay to have a scent wardrobe! A lot of us love a lot of different scents. Just make sure it’s not quietly fading away in a drawer somewhere. You and your perfume deserve to be together. If it starts to smell stale or acidic, it is time to say goodbye.

As for other products like bath products, hair products and sunscreen, rest easy. Apparently, these often have a lot more stable ingredients and are usually labeled with an expiration date. The expiration date is a good guide, although if you want them working in tip top form for as long as possible, you should keep them someplace cool and dark. Maybe under the sink or something.

In any case, if you’ve been sick with something contagious or bacterial based you should probably replace your makeup, at least anything used around the eyes or mouth. Also, if something changes in texture or color or has a funny odor that wasn’t there before, it could be compromised and it’s a good idea to get rid of it.

As always, I leave you with a coupon code.

SSS – Free Skin So Soft Original 4-piece set with your online Avon order of $50 or more plus free shipping – Expires: midnightSeptember 16, 2016

It’s been a crazy week. I have all the laundry in the world in my house and I’m behind. I know it’s only Tuesday but with school starting, the weather just cool enough so that every morning there is a debate about jackets, then Back to School Night, and all the usual husband, home and kids nonsense, I’m just running crazy. This is especially true because I don’t want to deal with any of it. I just want to crawl into a book and sip coffee. Mmm, that sounds great.

On the last post, I was talking about Fall Fashion. I love Fall for fashion. Summer is fun and all, but I love the rich colors, the boots, and all the layers. It’s hard to start making plans though, because my wardrobe is full of summer things, which at this point, I still may need some days. However, there are things I don’t like, things that don’t fit, and things that have been around way too long that I really need to get rid of. And that’s just my wardrobe! I really have to get in and dig out all the stuff from my kids’ clothes that is old, ragged, or just doesn’t fit those rough and tumble boys anymore.

So, here’s my method. First, the kids. I sit down in front of their closet and chest of drawers with a couple paper grocery bags. Sometimes I write donation on one or more of those bags. I dump all clothing 2 sizes smaller (or more!) than the last clothes I bought them into the donation bags. All except cut-off pants or stained or ripped clothes – those go in the trash. Then I go through and check the sizes only 1 size smaller than their newest clothes. Those I check carefully. Sometimes those still fit, and sometimes they don’t. It turns out children’s sizes are no more uniform than women’s sizes.

Now the hard part. My clothes. These are annoying because I have to try things on. I have to look at pretty party dresses, and try to remember when I last wore them. I have to think about how often I wear things, whether they are flattering, and of course, check for damage. I have to look over my regular everyday clothing and wonder, am I wearing this too often? Does this even look good on me? Did I get a stain on it last time that cannot be removed? And of course, maybe I should wear something else? This is frustrating. So, my current method is not the most efficient but it works better than throwing my hands up and walking away.

I set up a few paper grocery bags – donation, out of season, and throw away. There are two ways to deal with out of season. The lazy way is just to decide what you do no want to wear in the Fall/Winter and toss them in the bag. This is a good method. The harder way is to decide what you do not want to wear during Fall/Winter, then try them on and check them for damage and fit and how well you like it on you. Then, separate them into the Out of Season bag and the Donation bag. This is the better method, but best done when you have more time, patience or wine. After that is done, then you can attack the rest of your clothes looking for damage, trying them on, and judging how flattering or fashionable they are then separate them out accordingly. The winners get put back in your closet or moved to the laundry room or car for repair, dry cleaning, or attempted stain removal.

Then of course, one has to tackle the shoes. Then the belts. Maybe purses after that. Then, the worst, the jewelry. Do I really need that clunky pewter bracelet I picked up in 1998? I love these shoes, are they really ruined? Where did I get this belt anyway, is it even mine? I tend to do this in stages. No, wait, I mean, spurts. I do this randomly, occasionally, with no rhyme or reason. Also, if you can, play happy music, preferably loudly. When you are done, it is a good time to reward yourself. Personally, I am planning on this woven bag from Mark. Or maybe these new Moto Boots?

As always, I leave you with a coupon code, good today only. It’s Customer Appreciation Week at AVON, so there will be new specials every day on my eshop. Orders today over $60 will receive a 8-piece Customer Favorites Set with code DAY2 – remember today only for this code!

I like to keep up with fashion and beauty blogs online. I even pick up a magazine every now and then. Sure, most days I look like the tired mom that I am, but I do pay attention. I appreciate a good outfit when I see one, and every now and then I even wear one! So, I’ve been seeing new Falls trends being discussed and I’d like to illustrate how AVON can help you, and me, enjoy some of those too!

First up, is Monochrome Outfits. Monochrome can be a little difficult to pull off, but it is everywhere right now. You can alleviate it by breaking it up with soft shades that accentuate your main color, or with bold accessories. Basic black accessories with gold accents are also great for adding drama!

Next up is leopard print! Leopard print is everywhere, but it really is a classic that everyone can wear. If you’re not fond of leopard, other animal prints are great too, and easy to work into your wardrobe. If you prefer a touch of animal style, accent pieces like jewelry or handbags are great and have more impact than you’d think!

All of these pieces can be found in the current AVON catalog or online.

Also hot this Fall are romantic styles and soft colors. Add some sweetness to your wardrobe with delicate jewelry or pretty florals. A soft colored bag or a lace-edged camisole layered into your warm outfit will bring the romance.

Some of these are AVON and some are MARK, and those camis are on sale, in AVON’s adult women’s sizes, for a four pack that includes all four colors!

Vivid green is a hot transition color to Fall’s warm browns, tans, and burgundies. Whether you build your outfit around it, or just use it as bright accent to your neutrals, this color can have a lot of impact. Think emeralds, not limes, for this transition color.

The dress and top are AVON, the jewelry shown is MARK.

All this and a lot more. AVON has fashion clothing and accessories as well as wonderful makeup and cutting edge skincare! Time to start thinking about that fall wardrobe! As always, I’ll leave you with a coupon code!

From time to time, I’m going to review products, AVON and probably Not AVON products as well. I will endeavor to be completely honest, but I’m not personally interested in negative reviews, so if I don’t like a product I will most likely just not write about it. I wouldn’t enjoy writing a blog post about how much I hate something. I will try to add as many details of the products as I can. For instance, if something has a strong scent, a vivid color, a thick texture or anything one might notice when testing new products. These are just characteristics that some may like, and others hate. If I have some reason you shouldn’t consider me totally impartial, I will mention that. Also, if I do not review something, there is no reason to assume I hate it, because that would be a ridiculously large number of products worldwide that I probably have never used.

All that said, I’d like to talk about the AVON Anew Cleansers I’ve been using. As I have mentioned before in this blog, I spent much of the summer unwell. My already sensitive skin went a little crazy on me due to illness and medications and became even more reactive and sensitive. You wouldn’t think this would be a great time to try new products, and you’d probably be right. Still, that’s what I did anyway.

There was a sale on, so I bought two Anew Cleansers. I got the Anew Clean Illuminating Rich Cleansing Foam, and the Anew Clean Comforting Cream Cleanser & Mask. I immediately started using the Illuminating one. The first thing I realized was that AVON is not kidding when it says you only need a pea-sized amount. It foams up a lot and I ended up with soap all over the place due to using way too much. Also, when my skin is at it’s most sensitive, this cleanser was a bit drying, but did not actively irritate my skin. I like that AVON’s new cleanser line is so gentle.

After that, I switched to the Comforting cleanser. This does not foam or bubble at all, and is more a thin cream in texture. I found this one actively soothing for my skin. It was not drying at all, and my skin felt very soft afterwards. I have not used it in its other capacity as a light moisturizing mask, because I also picked up an AVON Clinical Overnight Hydration Mask, which I’ll review another time. I do think that the Comforting cleanser would work nicely as a moisturizing mask, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to pamper yourself. You only leave it on for a few minutes when using it as a mask.

Now that I am off my antibiotics and firmly on the mend from my summer, I’ve been switching back and forth between the two cleansers. I use the Comforting one when my skin is feeling more dry or sensitive, and use the Illuminating one on other days. They both work great, and leave my skin clean and fresh looking. AVON also sells one for oily skin, which is not appropriate for me, called Anew Clean Purifying Gel Cleanser. All of these cleansers can be used with AVON’s Anew Clean Cleansing Brush, pictured above. I just got mine yesterday and used it for the first time today.

Disclaimer – I am a Independent Representative with AVON

Anew Clean Illuminating Rich Cleansing Foam

Foaming

Light, pleasant scent

Gentle

A little goes a long way

Anew Clean Comforting Cream Cleanser & Mask

Milky, creamy texture

Light fresh scent

Moisturizing

Gentle

Dual Use

As of today, both cleansers I reviewed are $10, but below is a coupon code for you if you’d like to get an Anew cleanser of your own. Currently, you get a free cleanser when you buy a new Anew skincare regime online. Also, they are available in travel sizes.

If you do check in at my website, don’t forget to sign up for the Fall into Cozy Sweepstakes!

I’ve been very busy with my AVON business. I’ve been planning and learning and generally getting pretty excited by things. I think one of the best things about starting your own business is getting really excited about it. You have direction and motivation. It’s actually pretty fun.

I’m sending out my first Sample of the Month club packets today, as well as my first customized skincare sample set. They were a lot of fun to put together. I’m going to borrow my husbands little photographer’s lightbox that I got him for Christmas a year or two ago and take some shots of my sample sets. I’m not a great photographer, but I am good at research, so I can easily find hints and tips for that. Having my own business helps direct and focus my research urges in useful and fun directions. Left to my own devices, I end up randomly researching things, like the history of roses in America, local haunted hotels, or the use of leeches during the American Civil War. While that is fun, it is good to have a reason to research something.

One of the best things about having an AVON business is the community. I get so many great ideas, and good advice from websites and Facebook groups. There are live conference calls, and Youtube videos. There are even in-person meetings and events sometimes, although I haven’t been to one of those yet. I have signed up for a local AVON event that’s happening in my town in a month or so. So many women, and some men, helping each other and cheering each other on. I really love that.

So, I’ll end this post with the big news that my customized skincare regime sample set is now available. It’s only available in the continental US and it’s $15, which includes a travel sized cleanser,samples and shipping.

Well, technically it’s not a day off. Just like usual, I got the boys up, fed and dressed, then off to school. I took care of the dog and the husband. I did some online work for my AVON business. The normal SAHM stuff. I even emailed my doctor for some advice.

What makes this Mama’s Day Off, is that instead of continuing to work until it’s time to pick up the kids, I’m going to spend time with one of my closest friends. She is moving to Southern California soon and we are making the effort to spend some time together before she does. Of course, we will still be friends. Distance cannot break true friendship apart. However, our Sunday Breakfasts together will be much more rare.

I’m kinda excited because the skies the limit! Well, not the sky. More like 2pm is the limit because I have to pick up my kids and go back to the Mom Gig at that point. Still, there is a lot of fun to be had in a few hours by a pair of determined women. After the coffee of course.

So far our ideas include a trip over the mountain to the beach, shoe shopping, brunch, or a local museum. The beach is a 45 minute drive from here with no traffic. We may have to scratch that one. There are also outlet stores about 40 minutes away. Museums could be good, because this would be a good chance for her to see something local before she’s no longer a local. There are several amusement parks within easy drive. We’re pretty central to a lot of things here.

Anyway, this is what I’m excited about today. Friendship should be treasured. I’d end this post with my usual AVON coupon code, but I’ve got two, so pick your favorite!

I mean, literally. A long time ago, in what seems like another life, I was a receptionist at a tech company. I answered phones, I conferred with co-workers, and I greeted and chatted with guests. It must have seemed effortless. It wasn’t though, because I am actually quite shy, but repetition and the sure knowledge that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing gave me the nerve I needed to get through my workdays.

Now, it’s been years since I was in the workforce. I got married, and I had kids. I know for a lot of women, that does not slow them down, and I applaud them. It didn’t slow me down so much as bring me to a screeching halt. To be honest, my work had never been about pursuing a goal or achieving anything. It was all strictly for the paycheck. For the most part, I haven’t missed it.

In the years in between those jobs and my current place in life, I’ve done many things. I’ve taken classes, I’ve traveled a little, and I’ve had two beautiful children who my life revolves around for the time being. I live in an area where expenses are high, and with my work history I couldn’t find a job that would pay for enough for childcare for two children. One, maybe, but not two. So, working a job that takes me away from home didn’t seem the best use of my time, since I would not be netting a profit, nor working towards something in particular.

All of this to say that my outgoing work demeanor is very rusty. I haven’t flexed these muscles in so long, I can hardly remember how I ever did it. One of the great things about choosing to work from home is that when, or even if, you use your social skills is up to you. With Avon, there are a lot of different ways to build your business, although the most traditional is face-to-face. I’m still trying to figure out exactly what shape my business will be. I have a lot of ideas. One of those ideas has led me to resurrecting my phone skills. I generally have good ones, but they’ve become a little less professional over the years.

Today, I called two possible new Avon Representatives. I prepped extensively, so that I could answer any questions they might have. It’s funny how nervous I was, when there is absolutely nothing scary about it. It was just two women, who are probably very nice, who had already expressed interest in Avon. I was just the voice to contact them and offer help and advice if they should need it. I ended up reaching voicemail for both. I’m not concerned. I’m happy I took the plunge and maybe a few dozen more tries and I will find that voice again, that confident and effortless voice that has been laying dormant for so long. In most ways, I’m more confident now than I’ve ever been. You know what they say; feel the fear and do it anyway.

And as always, I’ll leave you with a current Avon coupon code. Please click the Shop Current Campaign to use the code.